Tagged: Bernardus

Enjoying Monterey Wines on the East Coast!

THE STORY

Earlier this month, I connected with my old wine group – and presented Monterey wines to them. I do this class about once a year and am always glad to be sharing my passion and enjoying Monterey wines on the East Coast.

This class was a bit easier to put together than ones I have done in the past.  Why? 1. An improved budget for the class allowed me flexibility to include some higher priced wines. 2. I had a free case of wine from one of the wineries (thank you!). 3. I stumbled onto some incredible shipping rates ($1 – really??) and huge sales on a couple of wines.  As a bonus, most of the wines presented had Wine Enthusiast ratings. Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann does a great job covering Central Coast wines.

I have boasted that, while Monterey is known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, I usually don’t present either. I set out to make this class is different. I felt it was time to show my East Coast friends a value (but tasty) Chardonnay representative of Monterey County – and what a really good Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands can be!

I could not pull off these classes without the generosity of our local wineries and the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association.  I have worked to develop deep relationships with Monterey wineries, including the winemakers, tasting room staff, and even some vineyards! They give me steep discounts on their wine (sometimes they even donate wine!) in return for me giving their wines visibility to a new audience. Many thanks to Bernardus, Corral Wine Co., McIntyre Vineyards, Parsonage and Scheid for their support and generosity. I’m so grateful.

Bernardus
Corral Wine Co.
McIntyre Vineyards

*Readers:  Is there a Monterey County winery you know or would like to know for my next class or a future post?  Wineries:  Is there a deal on one of your wines you would like me to showcase next Spring? Leave me a comment below or email me!*

Parsonage
Scheid

THE CLASS ITSELF – ENJOYING MONTEREY WINES ON THE EAST COAST

It Takes a Village: Before I launch into this class, I need to give a huge thank you to my many friends who helped me with this class: Paula, the board member who got me on the calendar and introduced me; my former neighbors Howard and Nora, who patiently received my wine shipments; Stephen who chilled the whites and found excellent cheese pairings; my good friend Steve, who helped me transport the wines to the event.  And, during the class, those friends plus Dina who helped pass out the wines to those East Coast wine aficionados.

I wrote about my approach to presenting Monterey wines in last year’s post: Decanting Monterey Tells All: Introducing New Monterey Wines and Wine Regions in DC! Check that out for the details! I’ll give a short synopsis here:

I started this almost-sold-out class (57 people!) by ensuring everyone knew where Monterey County is on the Central Coast.  I talked about our climate, the Blue Grand Canyon under the Monterey Bay, creating a Thermal Rainbow® – our high valley temperatures brought relief by the afternoon winds coming off the bay the stress and cool the vines – with accompanying fog to keep them from getting too cold overnight. I briefly ran through our winemaking history and current stats and encouraged them to visit! I highlight the ease and affordability of coming to Monterey to taste wine.  Armed with our tasting room brochures provided by Kim Stemler of the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association, I invite them all to visit.

I then talked briefly about the four Monterey County American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) from which today’s wines originated: Monterey, Arroyo Seco, the Santa Lucia Highlands and, for the first time, San Lucas. You can read more about our AVAs here.

Finally, I gave a short overview of each winery and presented each of the wines.  As we moved through the tasting, the group had extremely positive reactions and asked good questions.

  • They asked if wines were available locally – The Bernardus Chardonnay should be available locally; all others can be found via the wineries directly.
  • They cheered at the quality and expression of flavors in the Corral Sauvignon Blanc.
  • They asked how long the McIntyre could be cellared (another 8-10 years). And they seemed to really enjoy the two big red blends from Parsonage and Scheid.
  • One observation was that these wines were all rather high in alcohol – I assured them that it is not the trend, just happened to be the wines selected for this class. 

Overall, the attendees were very happy with both the educational component and the quality of the wines themselves. 

THE WINES

Today I am presenting the 5wines from this May tasting. Winery notes come from their tasting sheets or websites, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.

2020 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $30 (#884)

Winery Notes: “Bright white fruit aromas accented by subtle oak notes. The palate is intense and beautifully focused with vibrant peach and tropical fruit flavors along with spice accents. The long finish is supported by a refreshing acidity.”

Wine Enthusiast – 88 points: “Lime spritz and apple-slice aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The palate shows an earthier side, offering baked lemon and toasted nut flavors.”

My Review: Golden in the glass. Tropical and buttery on the nose and tasty with some grilled pineapple on the palate. Butter, caramel and slight metallic notes on the finish. I believe this Monterey Chardonnay is quite representative of our region. October 2023 & February 2024

2022 Corral Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#1088)

Winery Notes: “Vibrant aromas of lemongrass, citrus, fersh herb, and guava with hints of gooseberry. Flavors of lemon, peach, and citrus finishing with a nice minerality and racing acidity.”

My Review: Straw in the grass. A slightly sweet nose of grapefruit & melon. The nose follows over to the palate with a grapefruit twist on the finish. It’s a lot, in a good way. September 2023

2016 McIntyre Vineyards Block 3 Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $56 (#1290)

Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “Roasted cherry and plum meet with turned earth and toasty oak aromas on the nose of this single-block bottling. The palate is wrapped in that savory oak flavor, which complements the dried sage and rich dark-fruit flavors, as strong tannins hold it all in check.” Matt Kettmann

Prince of Pinot – 91 points: “A combination of the Swan clone and the “Old Vine” Block. The crop was thinned to a maximum of three tons per acre or 1.5 lbs of fruit per foot of cordon. Indigenous yeast fermentations. · Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose offers aromas of blueberry-pomegranate and a compliment of toasty oak. An onslaught of purple and black berry fruits greet the palate. Not particularly nuanced but plenty of ostentatious fruit. Modest tannins, low acidity and a finish of modest length. The slightest warmth shows up on the finish.” July 2022

My Review: Dark ruby in color. Delicious nose of dark cherry. Palate is packed with dark, tart fruit like a dark cherry jolly rancher and some sandalwood. We liked this wine. March 2024

2020 Parsonage Wildcard, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $38 (#1231)

Winery Notes: “This iteration of the beloved Wildcard, our preposterous melange of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Pinot Noir, will rock your world. The nose is a fragrant and seductive melange of exotic spices, wild flowers, boysenberry, and cranberry. The palate is marked by cedar notes and blueberry with a vibrant backdrop of red and black fruit in this medium-plus mouthfeel beauty.”

My Review: Bright garnet. Subtle nose of crushed red and black fruit. The bright fruit on the palate mellows out on a soft finish. Really well melded and delicious. May and November 2023

2020 Scheid Arbolitos, San Lucas Vineyard, San Lucas AVA, Monterey County, 15.5% ABV, $40 (#1287) 28% Primitivo, 28% Barbera, 19% Charbono, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignan, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon

Winery Notes: “Our 2020 vintage is intense and focused, with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum and elderberry. Acidic, bright and medium-bodied, it is framed by soft tannins. A rich red fruit finish prevails with notes of vanilla and mocha.”

Wine Enthusiast – 91 points: “From a head-trained vineyard of “little trees,” this proprietary blend pairs black plum and purple flowers with peppercorn and soy on the nose. The palate is firm in texture, offering ripe blueberry and violet flavors.”

My Review: A Super Tuscan-style field blend. Cassis on the nose – intense delicious fruit. Very delicious. Jammy smooth complex palate. I really like this wine and selected it for my next class. February 2024

THE TASTING ROOMS

All of these wineries presented today have tasting rooms in one or more of our three wine tasting areas of Monterey County:  Bernardus, Corral and Parsonage are in Carmel Valley Village. Scheid and McIntyre are in Carmel. Scheid also has a tasting room way down the Monterey Wine Trail. 

You can see a map of Monterey County wine tasting rooms and get more information here.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

*FOLLOW ME ON CELLAR TRACKER: Central Coast Sharon

Monterey County Vintners & Growers Celebrate 50 Amazing Years!  

As a huge fan of Monterey County wines, I hold a special place for the resources and efforts of Kim Stemler and the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association. When I learned I could be there to join the Monterey County Vintners & Growers celebrate 50 amazing years, I could not wait for the date!

THE STORY – The Monterey County Vintners & Growers celebrate 50 amazing years

This annual meeting was held on January 31st at Rustiqué Winery out River Road. It was mostly attended by our local vintners and a handful of their supporters. After their board meeting, we mingled and sampled some of their newest wines, some not yet released.  It was a relaxed and friendly setting with a delicious lunch, followed by the meeting itself.

MINGLING

Before the meeting, I had the chance to speak with several winemakers I have gotten to know over the years.  We asked about the 2023 vintage and heard the following: gratitude for the lack of wildfires, plentiful in yield, yet some mixed results vineyard by vineyard. David Baird from Folktale indicated he is looking forward to the imminent release of his 2023 whites and rosé. I thanked Miguel Lepe of Lepe Cellars for recently hosting the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society and he invited us back any time! Sabrine Rodems was very excited to show off the new Scratch C-47 Grenache-Syrah. Adrien Valenzuela from Corral Wine Co. brought their latest Petite Sirah just being released – wow. Kirstie Dyer invited us up to Holman Ranch for a tour and tasting. Dennis Hoey of Odonata did a double-take at our last name – just one letter separates us. People do ask me if we are related. Later, I joked that we should invite him to our upcoming family reunion as a long, lost cousin!

There were a number of Associate members of the group present, to whom I was introduced as a “Monterey County wine influencer.” I prefer the term “groupie.” I’m just a passionate fan and wine educator who helps get the word out about our fabulous wineries and wines.

THE MEETING

At the meeting itself, there was great recognition of how far the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association has come over these past 50 years – from their early meetings in a bar to having this larger meeting in a winery barn! Kudos were given to Kim Stemler, the face of Monterey wines, for her hard work increasing the profile of our vineyards and wineries, while working with regulatory bodies.

Kim has worked to support the members and to find solutions to challenges like COVID and wildfires (air support first makes a difference!). She provides a single point of information to streamline communication. One marketing success from 2023 was renaming the River Road Wine Trail to the Monterey Wine Trail and soon we will see new signs put up to help guide visitors. And she helped us get our local wines onto the shelves of Whole Foods! She also talked about getting wineries to visit each other to share techniques and expertise. 

BRAINSTORMING

The next part of the meeting was to brainstorm at our tables some of the biggest positives and negatives for the region. At our table, we talked about the positive of growing recognition of Monterey County wines and the negative of increased shipping costs throughout the production supply chain, including delivery to consumers. As an example, the sharp increase in shipping costs during and after the pandemic have made it increasingly difficult for me to put together a class for my DC-based group. 

With this much growth in the past 50 years, I can’t even imagine what it will be like the next time the Monterey County Vintners & Growers celebrate 50 amazing years!

THE WINES

Today I am sharing impressions of 9 of these latest wines; I didn’t take detailed notes.  Winery notes, where available, come from their websites or labels, or as otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone.

2022 Moonlit Harvest Chardonnay, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $22 (#1246) produced and bottled by Cowboys, Livermore, California

From the Back Label: “Eighteen eighty-three is the year C.H. Wente founded his winery in Northern California. This wine pays homage to his pioneering spirit and passion for quality grape growing and winemaking. The grapes for this wine were grown and harvested under our serenely moonlit estate vineyards located in Monterey, regarded as one of the best places in California to grow Chardonnay. The cool, coastal influences are ideal for delivering flavors of ripe apple, guava and mango balanced by subtle oak, vanilla and spice. Enjoy!”

My Review: Quite tasty and balanced with distinct tropical notes balanced with a little buttery oak – quite representative of a Monterey County Chardonnay. I would present this in a class.  January 2024

2022 (?) Kori Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County (#1247)

My partner poured this, so I am assuming it is the 2022, for which I cannot yet find any notes. 

Winery Notes: N/A

My Review: The tasty fruit for this wine comes from one of a top Arroyo Seco vineyard – Griva.  A nice balance of citrus flavors with a predominance of that classic Sauvignon Blanc grassiness.  January 2024

2021 Scratch C-47 Grenache/Syrah, Monterey County, 14.4% ABV (#1248) 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah

Winery Notes: N/A

My Review: Big, bold flavors in this well-balanced wine. I don’t know the blend, but it clearly has enough Syrah to please my palate. Excellent. January 2024

2020 Corral Petite Syrah, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, 14.5% ABV (#1249)

Winery Notes: N/A

My Review: Rich and dark blue and blackberry tongue-coating flavors. I know I am not supposed to have favorites but this was, for our palates, our favorite wine of the day!  January 2024

2019 Silvestri Eugenia Red Blend, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $65 (#1250)

Winery Notes: “The 2019 Eugenia is a unique blend of our estate reds (35% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Franc,15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot) at 25% New French Oak.  Aged 18 months in barrel… Our version of a Bordeaux blend using all five varietals with Malbec leading and Cabernet Sauvignon just behind offering bold flavors of plumb and black currant and structure.  Cabernet Frank and Merlot evenly support with balancing softness and a slight herbacousness and a minor contribution of Petit Vedot with color, tannin and spice.”

My Review: Very berry on the nose and palate, opening into a richer red. Tasty. January 2024

2021 Rustiqué Syrah, Tondré Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.4% ABV (#1251)

Winery Notes: N/A

My Review: I was excited to try this Syrah from the esteemed Tondré Grapefield. My guess is that it is the first Syrah produced by Rustiqué.  It was quite berry on the nose, followed by a very nice palate.  I’d like to try this again.  Time for a visit to Rustiqué!  January 2024

2019 Odonata Sangiovese, Machado Creek Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley AVA, Santa Clara County, 14.2% ABV (#1252)

Winery Notes: “Strawberries, hints of cinnamon, leather and earth. The palate is round with balanced acidity and tannin. Great vintage for Machado Sangiovese, this wine is powerful and fruit forward, but will lean out into dried leaf and cool subtleties as time progresses. 10-20 year wine for sure.”

My Review: We got a lot of berry and cherry flavors with solid tannins on the finish – agree this would benefit from cellaring and I would like to taste it again!January 2024

2021 Bernardus Pinot Noir, Garys’ Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.7% ABV, $80 (#1074)

Winery Notes: “The renowned Garys’ Vineyard was planted with the celebrated “Pisoni clone” by the two iconic growers of the Santa Lucia Highlands: Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni. Together they have brought worldwide attention to this fabulous appellation for the exceptional quality of its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. This year, Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni have graciously offered Bernardus a few extra tons of the superb Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir (expertly farmed by Mark Pisoni). This enabled us to ferment in 3 small fermenters, providing a new subtle complexity to the finished wine.

“Our 2021 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir exudes a gorgeous perfume of ripe, dark red fruits along with notes of rose pedal. The fabulous palate is very intense – powerful yet elegant – with layers of boysenberry, ripe black cherry and a hint of spice. This is without a doubt, our finest Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir to date!”

My Review: We somehow ended up with a bottle of this wine at our table.  Pinot Noir is not my wheelhouse, but this big, complex Bernardus Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of the finest I have tried.  A pretty, bright red ruby color. Cherry and raspberry nose, followed by continued red fruit flavors on the complex palate. It went exceptionally well with our meal. January 2024

2021 Lepe Cellars Petit Verdot, Merit Vineyards, San Antonio Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV (#1253)

Winery Notes: N/A.

My Review: Tobacco on the nose. Dark plum and berry flavors on the palate. Pretty delicious. This was a great wine with which to finish the program.

THE TASTING ROOMS

With the exception of Moonlit Harvest, these wines can be tasted in our local Monterey County tasting rooms, spanning the 3 regions of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley Village, and the Monterey Wine Trail.  You can find more information on their websites or at the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association website.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

Support Decanting Monterey’s Wine Education Efforts!


The Big Party Continues for Arroyo Seco Winegrowers!

THE STORY

Last week I brought you Part 1 of my coverage of the August 12th Arroyo Seco Winegrowers celebration here: Let’s Have a Big Party to Celebrate Arroyo Seco Winegrowers. Please take a look at that write-up for more information about the Arroyo Seco AVA and the event. Today’s post brings you the rest of the wineries and their wines: Martin Ranch Winery, Chesebro, Bernardus, Blair, J Lohr and Joyce Wine Co.  I am grateful to have been able to attend this festive occasion, surrounded by the vineyards we were there to celebrate.

THE WINES

As I indicated last week, despite the small nature of the event, there are always more wines than we can possibly taste and my own note taking was minimal.  I am relying on the wineries’ websites for their notes, unless otherwise stated.  Any errors are mine and mine alone.

MARTIN RANCH WINERY

This was the first time I had encountered Martin Ranch Winery at one of our local wine events – and I was glad I did. Looking at the range of wines they make, I see a road trip to their Gilroy winery and tasting room in my future!

From their website: “For nearly three decades, winemakers Thérèse and Dan Martin have crafted wines in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The rich history of this husband and wife team is reflected in each bottle of wine, and everything they do…

“In 1993, Thérèse and Dan Martin began planting rows of Cabernet Sauvignon along their 17 acre property, with the intent of selling their fruit to local wineries. Four years later, Thérèse and Dan got the itch to give winemaking a go, and by 2002 they released their first commercial crush of 625 cases.

“That same year, the Martins decided it was time to turn their dream of building a community around a winery into a reality. They embarked on the monumental task of building a commercial winery, including a garden area, pond dock, tasting rooms, barrel room, and production facilities.

“Today our vineyard has rows of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Noir, in addition to the original Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Each year we produce wine under our three award-winning labels: J.D. Hurley, Soulmate, and Thérèse Vineyards.”

2020 Martin Ranch Thérèse Vineyards Grenache Blanc, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $35 (#1135)

88 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Soft nectarine, peach and toasted-oak aromas are cut by Meyer lemon on the nose of this bottling. Ripe apricot and pineapple flavors show on the juicy palate, with oak adding spice.” Matt Kettmann, November 2022

My Notes: My only notes were that this was a little sweet – and spicy!

2018 Martin Ranch Thérèse Vineyards Pinot Noir, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.6% ABV, $45 (#1136)

91 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Toasty oak aromas meet with dark-cherry compote on the nose of this bottling. The oak is also strong on the palate, but in pleasant ways, warming up the cherry-compote, anise and clove flavors, as vanilla lingers into the finish.” Matt Kettmann

My Notes: Someone told us we should go back and try this wine right as we were heading out for the day. It was quite good and made in a style I prefer – a richer Pinot Noir. 

CHESEBRO

I’ve been presenting Chesebro Wines in my DC-area wine classes since my very first one, long before we moved here.  I admire Chesebro for their quality and affordability – they are easy to fit into the wine class budgets and are a big hit with the class attendees. I’ve been quoting Mark Chesebro in my presentations for years, yet I had never met the man until this Arroyo Seco celebration! It was great to spend a few minutes with him at long last. Alex Lallos, has been a great supporter of my wine education efforts over the years.

We tasted several new releases at their table, some of which I already covered in this recent post, so I only have one of their wines in this article.

2022 Chesebro Grenache Rosé, Cedar Lane, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $23 (#1137)

Winery Notes: “For lovers of our Grenache rosé, you are in for a real treat. Provençal in style, beautiful light pink in color and bright profile. Aromas of fresh picked strawberry, grapefruit skin and raspberry essence. Perfect for a warm poolside or beach afternoon.”

My Notes: I presented the 2020 vintage of this wine in one of my DC-area classes and I like this new release even better!

BERNARDUS

I most recently wrote about Bernardus in these two posts: Best Winery Tour Ever at Bernardus and Bernardus Rolls Out Red Carpet for Special House Guest! At this event, they were pouring the latest release of their Sauvignon Blanc, which is one of my favorites to put in a class, as well as showcasing a celebration bottle!

2022 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $28 (#1138)

Winery Notes: “Our 2022 Signature Griva bottling has aromas of lime zest and grapefruit, accented by mineral nuances. The palate exhibits rich, crisp, tropical fruit flavors with notes of guava, lime peel, blue agave and grapefruit, supported by a refreshing acidity.” 90 points – Wine Enthusiast

BLAIR WINES

We rarely catch Jeffrey Blair himself in his Carmel Plaza tasting room anymore, so it was great to see him here. I’ve written about Blair’s award-winning wines before, with my most recent post here:  Blair: It’s All About Delfina’s Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco!I enjoyed trying some of his new releases.

2018 Blair Estate Pinot Gris, Riverbank Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.6% ABV, $35 (#1139)

90 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Hints of orange blossom, kumquat and jasmine show on the nose of this bottling. The palate keeps the wine quite dry, offering wet stone balance to the plumeria and Tuscan melon flavors.” Matt Kettmann

My Review: Sweet Grilled pineapple palate carried over the pineapple with a raw pineapple acidity/bitterness on finish. I liked this wine. August 2023

2018 Blair Estate Chardonnay, Roger Rose Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#1140)

91 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Hints of butter, toasted Marcona almond, crushed rock and light truffle show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. Lemon-butter-glazed-toast flavors meet with sea salt and nuts on the palate, where a rocky edge adds complexity.” Matt Kettmann, April 2022

2021 Blair Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.1% ABV, $25 (#1141)

Winery Notes: “…This Blair Rosé of Pinot Noir is a serious “pink” wine. Our goal was an Old World style that would be bright and refreshing. But also one that would be a versatile companion to a wide variety of  foods. The nose and palate is full of ripe strawberry, cherry and watermelon. It finishes crisp and dry. Serve well chilled with a Salade Nicoise or an herbed salmon steak fresh off the grill.” 88 points – Wine Enthusiast  

My Notes: Hey this is good tasting wine! Time to get back to Blair for a full tasting!

J. LOHR

We had the chance at the Monterey Trade event the previous week (see this post) to meet  J. Lohr’s Kristen Barnhisel, their winemaker for white wines. She wrote the winery notes below. While they produce a million cases of wine every year, we won’t see most of these wines from Arroyo Seco in the supermarkets. 30% of their production is Arroyo Seco whites. 70% of their production comes from Paso Robles.  They have tasting rooms in San Jose and Paso Robles. Check out their website for more information.

2022 J. Lohr Pinot Blanc, F&G Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $35 (#1142)

Winery Notes: “The 2022 F&G Vineyard Pinot Blanc displays aromas of yellow rose, apple, and pear. Complex flavors of ripe melon and Meyer lemon emerge, with a creamy texture and a long finish from fermentation and aging in the large vessels.”

My Notes: I liked this wine.

2022 J. Lohr Sauvignon Blanc, F&G Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $25 (#1143)

Winery Notes: “The 2022 F&G Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc presents aromas of honeysuckle, grapefruit, and a hint of fig. Bright flavors of ripe key lime, vanilla, Meyer lemon, and tarragon take center stage, with a rich palate texture and long finish.”

My Notes: I found this wine a bit tart.

J. Lohr Bay Mist White Riesling, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $13 (#1144)

Winery Notes: “Fun and casual. Unoaked and just slightly sweet. My goes-with-anything, toes-in-the-sand wine.”

My Notes: What a pretty bottling for this wine – reflecting the Monterey Bay and the idea this would be a great beach wine. This off-dry Riesling was a tad sweet for my preferences.

JOYCE Wine Co.

We finally make it to our host for the event – Joyce Wine Co.They have a beautiful property in the heart of Arroyo Seco, surrounded by vineyards.  Way too many wines to taste for the end of our day, but we did our best. I look forward to going back there to taste again – after the fall winemaking season calms down. We have been to their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village several times.  I last wrote them up here: Joyce: Exploring the Endless Potential of Monterey’s Coastal Terroir.

2022 Joyce Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $28 (#1145)

Winery Notes: “Vibrant and pronounced, a nose of peach and gooseberry open up to a palate of citrus and spring time earthiness.”

2022 Joyce Rosé, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $25 (#1146)

Winery Notes: “A savory-leaning nose of tomato water and oyster shell sets the tone for a lightly-fruited, pale pink thirst quencher with minerality that will make you drool.”

My Notes: Perfume on the nose and a tartness on the palate.

2022 Joyce Albariño, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $28 (#1147)

Winery Notes: “Warm-weather, tropical fruits lead the nose followed by white flowers on an ocean breeze. Bright and refreshing, supple texture and minerality on the palate.”

2021 Joyce GSM, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $35 (#1148) 30% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre

Winery Notes: “This Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend yields concentrated flavor, high acidity and strong tannins–all elements that suggest this wine can be cellared for many years.”

My Notes: I detected some of that “Central Coast funk” on the nose – that funky aroma or flavor I often get with Central Coast Syrahs. The plate was spicy and quite tasty! August 2023

2021 Joyce Syrah, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $30 (#1149)

Winery Notes: “A classic representation of the varietal with noticeable, dusty tannin, dark fruits and earthy, smoky, woody notes hitting throughout.”

The fruit comes from Joyce vineyards, plus Zabala plus Cedar Lane – sounds like a winning combo!

My Notes: Dark ruby in glass. Grass on the nose. Relatively light on palate. August 2023

THE TASTING ROOMS

Because there were so many wineries present at this event, I recommend checking their individual websites for information on where and when to taste their wines. You can taste Martin Ranch wines at their winery in Gilroy. Chesebro, Bernardus and Joyce tasting rooms are all located in Carmel Valley Village.  Blair’s is in Carmel-by-the-Sea.  J Lohr has two tasting locations:  San Jose and Paso Robles.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Best Winery Tour Ever at Bernardus!

THE STORY

In July, the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod experienced the best winery tour ever at Bernardus! Last November, at the Marinus dinner, Jim McCabe, assistant winemaker at Bernardus, invited us to come up to the winery in Cachagua for a tour. We finally made it there in July! And I would say the fun wine education aspects of the tour were what made it so special.

Winery notes for this post come from conversations with the winemaker unless otherwise indicated. You can read more about Bernardus on their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.

Also, with all the wine events and special tastings we have done, I will be posting twice weekly for a bit to get caught up! My, we have been busy!!

Jim McCabe met us outside where he explained what happens to the grapes from the moment they arrive at the facility. He indicated that harvest is looking 2-3 weeks late this year due to the winter and spring rains. Veraison is a little late, but every really hot, sunny day we get speeds it up. Chemistry and appearance will tell them when to harvest the grapes.

In response to our questions about white grapes, they expect 2-3 tons per acre. They gently press the white grapes to avoid any off flavors. They shoot for 150-170 gallons of juice per ton.

We grabbed our glasses as we moved inside.

THE WINES

We started out tasting some Monterey Chardonnay at the filtration stage, followed by a Pinot Noir at the cold fermentation stage. We then went deep into the barrel room to do more wine education.  We examined how different barrel ages affect the wine, how different yeasts influence the flavor profile, and how to recognize and resolve reduction! What fun!

2022 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County (#1065)

We tasted this sample at the filtration stage.

My Review: Light golden. Nice delicious tropical nose. Pineapple and butter. Rich and sweet on the palate with a bright finish, some bitter notes yet nice. July 2023

2022 Bernardus Pinot Noir, Gary’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highland AVA, Monterey County (#1066)

This sample was at the cold fermentation stage.

My Notes: Garnet. Cold. Plum and perfume. Tasty palate. Smooth. July 2023

2022 Bernardus Chardonnay, Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highland AVA, Monterey County (#1067)

We compared 2 samples from different aged barrels.

My Notes:

New oak barrels: Buttery, tropical nose with some sulfur dioxide. Rich and viscous on palate with pineapple flavors on the finish. Wow. Big. Delicious. July 2023

3-year-old oak barrels: Faint tropical notes on nose and more sophisticated palate. Leaner yet tasty with more subtle flavors and more acidity. July 2023

2022 Bernardus Chardonnay, Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highland AVA, Monterey County (#1068)

We compared 2 samples made with different yeasts – and then a combined sample! Wow – we made some wine!!

Winery Notes: Every 2 weeks, they top off the barrels and perform battonage. They expect to bottle 19 barrels of Sierra Mar Chardonnay.  

My Notes:

D47 yeast: More acidic on the nose. Citrus notes. Mouthfilling, completely different flavor profile. Explodes on front end. Crushed pineapple a hidden bitterness on the finish. More acidic overall to me.

Montrachet yeast: Totally different. Pale in glass. Butter and mild pineapple on nose. More vanilla and tartness on the palate. Rounder flavors.

Blended samples: Crushed pineapple on the nose. Balanced palate. Burnt caramel on the finish. Very nice.

2022 Bernardus Cabernet Sauvignon, Marinus Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County (#1069)

Winery Notes: A little Hungarian oak. Intended for Marinus red blend.

My Notes: Intense dark ruby in color. Tart jam on nose. Juicy on the palate.

2022 Bernardus Merlot, Marinus Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County (#1070)

Jim had just talked to us about reduction a few moments before we tasted this wine. One of our members identified it right away, so we got to see first hand how to mitigate reduction. 

Barrel sample: Rubbery notes. Reduction is starting! Bright and dark raspberry on the palate. Dark and bitter on finish.

Post-copper treatment: Immediately changed flavor: lots of jammy, berry fruit and no reductive flavors. Tasted amazing.

Other fun facts (any of which I could have captured wrong):

  • They have a small, full-time staff of 8 people, plus contract support for busy times.
  • In their winemaking, they use French oak barrels for a period of 3 years. 

  • They have some huge, 2000-gallon oak tanks which they can use for Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, taking the place of stainless tanks.
  • Grapes from Santa Lucia Highlands vineyards that don’t make the vineyard designate bottlings can then become part of their Santa Lucia Highlands program.
  • They are elevating their Marinus vineyard. Doing more hand work and replacing some of the old vines.
  • The label: They are dropping the “B” label and going to a cleaned-up version (see the one on the right below) of the old one for brand recognition.

  • They also switched cork sources to improve the reliability of their corks. Their “Monterey” line has screw tops.
  • He showed us a brand new barrel and even let us sniff inside!

  • They produce 45,000-61,000 cases in an average harvest year.
  • And, finally, examine your spit after drinking Cabernet Sauvignon – it might surprise you. (But none of us can remember why…)

Tasting Bernardus Wines: Their tasting room, located at 5 West Carmel Valley Road, is open every day! Reservations are not required. You can see more information and book a tasting here or email tastingroom@bernardus.com or call them at 831-298-8021.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Monumental Third Year, Decanting Monterey!

Today marks the third anniversary of Decanting Monterey, A Central Coast Wine Blog! And what a year it has been! With 291 wines presented and reaching over 10,000 views, we have a lot to celebrate. Please read to the end for today’s small ask.

OUR HISTORY

Deep in the unvaccinated period of the pandemic in July 2020, Decanting Monterey was founded on wines from our own collection sampled at home, with or without our neighboring friends and our daughters, who quickly became known as the COVID Wine Pod. It was 2 posts per week and, mostly, one wine at a time. Back then, some wineries had just reopened with their COVID procedures and we still weren’t venturing out much. I also established the @decantingmonterey Facebook page.

During Year 2, as we became fully vaccinated and boosted – and double boosted, we were able to get out to more local wineries at a more deliberate pace. And the COVID Wine Pod was renamed the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod! I also moved to a single post per week and presented a single wine class to my old DC wine group. Most of the posts were based on event-driven or winery tastings and fewer individual, cellar-driven posts.  And I started the @decanting_monterey Instagram feed.

During Year 3, I began to get recognition as an entity with some stature behind it:

OUR STATS

I have some high-level stats to share with you about Year Three of Decanting Monterey!

  • www.decantingmonterey.com hit the 10,000 “views” mark! This statistic is very important to me.  If you are seeing my blog on social media or via email, please be sure to click the link and open it!
  • 291 wines were presented on Decanting Monterey for the first time.
  • 207 red wines were presented, as well as 62 whites, 20 rosés, and a couple of oranges – including 6 sparkling and 2 fortified wines.

  • Over 39 distinct varietals were presented with Pinot Noir topping the list thanks to the SLH festival I attended, followed closeky by Red Blends, and Syrah – no surprise if you know me!
  • 8 Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society events and 2 private tastings conducted at home were presented.
  • Wines from 12 California counties are represented, with 181 from Monterey, 30 from Santa Barbara, 20 from San Benito, 15 from Santa Cruz, 11 from San Luis Obispo, 9 from San Benito – and more! Plus 12 wines from Italy!

  • Wines from 6 of the 9 Monterey American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) were covered, capturing 39 varietals!

  • I Brand was the most represented family of wines, followed by Parsonage. I attribute that to the steady and wonderful release events offered by I Brand & Family wines. Parsonage was one of the first local wineries to put Monterey wines squarely on our consumption radar way back when. Their wines match my palate perfectly – what else can I say?

While I have some posts already queued up for Year 3, let me ask my mighty readers:  Where should I visit next?  Please leave me a comment on this post and let me know what some of your favorite, local places are to wine taste that I should not miss in Year 3! I have a list of not-yet-covered wine tasting rooms and other wine venues to check out – happy to add to it.  I don’t know what I don’t know. 

SUBSCRIBE

And, if you have not signed up for my free, weekly blog email, I encourage you to do so – the subscription button is on the right-hand side of each page of the Decanting Monterey website. I judge how well I am doing by how many views, subscribers, and comments I receive.  Please help me spread the word and please feel free to comment on my posts! And follow my Facebook (@decantingmonterey) and Instagram (@decanting_monterey) sites.

OUR SUPPORTERS

I am grateful to Chesebro, Bernardus, Bunter Spring, Idle Hour, Pierce Ranch and Rombi for their generosity this year in donated wines or discounts. Grateful to Kim Stemler and the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association for their support – what a great resource! And to Erin O’Reilly of tèr·ra·ve·nos for her partnership and advice as we navigate this world of wine.  I remain grateful to those vintners who have comped me wine tastings, given me discounts, and especially those who have comped me bottles of wine! And, of course, the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod!

DONATE

Now, to my ask:

As my avid readers know, Decanting Monterey is a self-funded labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines.  The only “compensation” I receive is free tastings (most places), discounted purchases, an occasional comped bottle, and, most importantly, the appreciation of our vintners. While I do this, I protect your data from being sold or used by anyone other than for my own website statistics.  Here is my Privacy Policy.

As I come up on my 3-year renewal of my website, I am asking my readers to consider making a small donation to keep this effort going. I donate my time, energy, knowledge, and to date personally have funded this website and my wine education travel expenses. 

Here is what it takes to make Decanting Monterey run:

  • $13/month for website expenses
  • $20/year for domain registration
  • $40/year for CellarTracker
  • $42/month for Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association membership (an aspiration!)
  • $50/year for codeguard
  • $1200-2400/year in travel expenses (airfare, car rental only)

While this blog is open and free, donations to this not-for-profit effort are always welcome in any amount!  You can donate here: Donate to Decanting Monterey. All donations go toward the operation of this website and to offset travel expenses for out of area wine classes.  Even the smallest amount would be greatly appreciated.

So, here we go – Year 4!  This should be an even better one! Thanks for your support to me on this crazy journey.

Central Coast Sharon

Battle of the Carmel Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons!

As we were driving out to Carmel Valley to select wines for the Carmel Rotary event in February, we hatched this idea: Wouldn’t it be fun to host a blind tasting of Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignons?  We ran the idea by one of our tasting room favorites, Summer Emmons, at Parsonage. She thought that sounded wonderful and started rattling off wineries which should be included – they were the same ones we had discussed in the car!

When we got home, Mr. H searched our collection to see if he could find wines from a single vintage. The oldest vintage we could find for all those wineries was 2015. And we did call around to try to add some other Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignons to the mix – but couldn’t get our hands on them.

This was a particularly good, albeit low yield vintage for Carmel Valley wines. As Sal Rombi of Rombi Wines explained to me long ago: Everything was going great, until flowering, when there was a lot of wind and rain. This resulted in about 55% fruit yield for the season.  Because there were fewer berries creating less weight on the vines, the fruit was much more intense, resulting in this delicious vintage. 

The hard part of arranging this event was finding a date that would work for everyone we wanted in the room. In the end, we pushed it out to March – and even then, lost a couple of participants. But it was the right group for the experience. In the room was the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod, Summer Emmons of Parsonage, and Erin O’Reilly of tèr·ra·ve·nos.

There was much anticipation and preparation for this event. The hardest part was the wine glasses:  first, finding 7 sets of glasses in which all 4 glasses were the same, and then getting all the spots off the glasses.  The amount of glassware reminded me of the time we tested Parsonage’s COVID wine tasting procedures – it was a lot of glassware, prompting them to change their plan.

The wines were all decanted at the same time. Not all our decanters were the same shape, but it was the closest we could come. And the wines were carefully pre-poured by Mr. H, a 2-ounce our of each of the 4 wines for each participant. Only he knew which wine was which and the order was mostly random. And only he and I knew exactly which wines were included in the mix, including the fact that one was a red blend. We also carefully planned the food pairings, with salami, cheeses, and a bit of dark chocolate to match the Cabernet Sauvignons.

Then the fun began. We used the tèr·ra·ve·nos tasting sheet to rate the wines. In general, we looked at and smelled each wine before we tasted them. We analyzed the flavors of each wine one-by-one. Since we didn’t know which was which, we could be bluntly honest about each one. With such a range of palates, we heard many descriptors…memorable ones…and we agreed that one of the wines – what we learned later was the red blend – tasted vastly different from the others. We did do an informal ordering of our preferences, with Wine #4 slightly edging out these other fine wines. This was a super fun format and we will do this again. Why not try this with your friends?

We started our evening with antipasto and 2 local whites:  2020 I Brand & Family Old Vines White and 2019 Corral Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc. Here are winery notes on these two wines and links to my prior postings about these wines:

2020 I Brand & Family Old Vines White (#742): “Old Vine White field blend is a blend of 3 unusual varietals. Orange Muscat, Mission and Palamino.” This was a very light white with interesting flavors, which evoked a conversation amongst us about the varietals we don’t know.

2019 Corral Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc (#604): “The Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc showcases bright, vibrant aromas of tropical fruit. Guava and grapefruit compliment hints of freshly cut hay and wet stone. Finishes with a racing acidity.” This is one of our collective favorite local Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Today I am presenting the 4 Carmel Valley wines in the order we tasted. 3 have been presented here before, and 1 is new (you can tell by their numbers). As usual, the winery notes come from their tasting sheet, website, or conversations with the owner. My tasting notes this time are an amalgamation of what I heard during the tasting. Are you ready for the big reveal?

2015 Rombi Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley, 14.1% ABV, $85 (#57)

Our Review: Deep garnet in color. Spice, tobacco, black licorice and leather on the nose. Cinnamon, dark fruit, black cherry, black licorice, tobacco and a touch of smoke and leather on the tongue-coating, smooth palate with a woody, dry finish. Chewy tannins. March 2023

Previously reviewed on Decanting Monterey here.

2015 Bernardus Marinus Signature Red Wine, Marinus Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.1% ABV, $125 (#889) 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Petit Verdot, 23% Merlot, 15% Petite Sirah

Winery Tasting Notes: “This 2015 vintage of our highly regarded Signature Marinus exhibits a beautiful, deep robe. The aromas are redolent with dark red fruits and dried spices. On the palate we find bright ripe-red fruit flavors and notes of cedar on a long, rich finish, promising a long life to come! A wonderful example from our estate vineyard!

Our Review: Lighter garnet than the previous wine, perhaps a touch cloudy. Aromas of intense dark raspberry (that delicious aroma of Cachagua fruit!) and prune; a spice like sandalwood, eucalyptus, or cigar box; and white pepper. Fruitier, packed with dark fruit and chocolate notes with a long finish. Smooth and tasty, less tannic than the previous wine.   March 2023

Previously reviewed on Decanting Monterey here.

2015 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Grown, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $80 (#239*)

Wine Enthusiast rated the 2015 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points.  “Roasted red-cherry aromas meet with charcoal, smoke, oregano and marjoram on the rustic nose. Stiffer tannins uphold both bright and dark-red fruit flavors on the palate.” Matt Kettmann, August 2020

Our Review: Dark garnet with hints of brown in the glass. A pretty nose of brambleberry, cassis, slightly floral, bakery yeast and “a fat crème de violet.”  Fruity flavors of blueberry, intense cassis, and sour cherry, checked by earth and green notes. Slightly acidic and alcoholic attributes. March 2023

Previously reviewed on Decanting Monterey here.

2015 Parsonage Tanner Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $90 (#953)

Winery Tasting Notes: “A beast of a cab, truly a bada$$. Think Jack Reacher from the books, not Tom Cruise in the movies. This brute has a deep, dark core of sophistication that reveals its identity with time. Black currants, huckleberry, and horehound licorice with great density on the palate and fully ripened tannins. My recommendation is to lay it down for a few years while it evolves into a peaceful warrior.”

Our Review: Garnet in color. Dark berries on the nose with floral and herbal hints combined with notes of smoke, wood and plastic. The palate says “Cabernet Sauvignon,” with beautiful, chalky, and smooth flavors of dark fruit, coffee, and smoke. The finish goes on forever. Perhaps our favorite amongst favorites. March 2023

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please give me feedback by leaving a comment!

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Bernardus Marinus Dinner: What a Way to Close out 2022!

Our wine allocations from our various memberships go through peaks and valleys.  A peak was in October when suddenly it seemed we needed to pick up wine from them all at the same time! We stopped in at Bernardus and were offered a tasting. It was there that we learned about the Marinus Dinner and snatched the last seats for the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod.  Marinus is the Bernardus flagship Bordeaux-style red blend. You can read more about former owner Ben Pon’s dream to make Bordeaux-style wine right in Carmel Valley here: https://decantingmonterey.com/bernardusmarinus2010/.

We attended the previous Marinus dinner in 2019 (pre-pandemic). The event was spectacular – a multi-course meal by Carmel Valley’s Chef Jerome Viel who expertly crafted dishes to paired nicely with Marinus wines of various vintages.  You can read more about Jerome here: https://jeromescarmelvalleymarket.com/chef-jerome-viel/.

The recent 2022 Marinus dinner was an expanded affair.  Limited to 22 Marinus club members, it took up 2 rooms in their tasting room – twice the size of the previous event.  The meal was lovely from beginning to end.  I felt as though it were New Year’s Eve and our anniversary dinner all rolled into one!

The Pon Family Crest
Winemaker Dean describes the wines.

This is a rather lengthy writeup, so bear with me.  It starts with the tasting room visit, focused on the 5 non-Marinus wines we had, followed by the Marinus dinner writeup of 6 Marinus wines and our beautiful meal, to close out 2022 in a celebratory way! A few of these wines have been presented here before and several library wines are no longer available. And we did start off the dinner with a glass of their rose from Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, their new effort to do something a little different.  I previously wrote up that wine (#677) here: https://decantingmonterey.com/monterey-county-vintners-and-growers-know-how-to-celebrate-monterey-winemakers/.

Winery tasting notes come from their website, the tasting sheet, or conversations with the winemaker or tasting room staff unless otherwise indicated. You can read more about most of these wines on their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.

2021 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $30 (#884)

Winery Notes from www.wine.com: “Bernardus Monterey Chardonnay exhibits bright white fruit aromas accented by subtle oak notes. The palate is intense and beautifully focused with vibrant peach and tropical fruit flavors along with spice accents. The long finish is supported by a refreshing acidity. Another superb example of Chardonnay from Monterey County.”

My Review: Golden in the glass. Tropical on the nose and tasty on the palate. This vintage is slightly metallic on the finish. I believe the Monterey Chardonnay is representative of our region. October 2022

2021 Bernardus Ingrid’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $50 (#885)

Winery Notes: “As the vineyard matures, the wines seem to keep getting better and better. This vintage of Ingrid’s Chardonnay is possibly our finest to date! The aromas express ripe tropical fruits and honeysuckle. The palate is very rich and complex with flavors of ripe white fruits and ginger cookie spice. A beautiful expression of this special Carmel Valley vineyard!”

My Review: Very tropical palate with tasty pineapple notes – a cut above. A very fine example of what Monterey County can do with Chardonnay. October 2022

2019 Bernardus Marinus Vineyard Merlot, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $50 (#371)

Winery Notes: “In the glass you will see a wine of deep crimson red. The aromas show bright dark red fruit scents with subtle spice notes. The palate is very rich and soft, with flavors of dried cherries and cranberries, accented with hints of chocolate. The delicious flavors linger beautifully on the long, powerful finish. A superb Merlot!” 90 Points- Wine Enthusiast

My Review: Ruby in color. Sweet spice on the nose.  Delicious palate of cherry and berry fruits. I like this bottling even more than the previous vintage. October 2022

2017 Bernardus Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley, Monterey County 12.8% ABV, $125 magnum, currently (as of 12/21) on sale $62.50!!! (#289)

Winery Notes: “Our 2017 Cabernet exudes spicy aromas of red berry and cranberry. The palate beautifully reflects the aromas showing juicy red fruit flavors with a subtle, refreshing acidity. Our Cabernet has been aged for six months in 28-year-old neutral French oak tanks in order to allow the fruit flavors of these grapes to shine through without any oak barrel influence. We hope you will enjoy this wonderful wine as much as we do!”

My Review: Dark ruby in color. Vibrant, fresh red and black fruits on the nose – berries, cherry, carrying over to the palate. Tasty, with a dry finish with a touch of cassis and tobacco. While seemingly light in comparison to the bigger Marinus blends, this opened up into a tongue-coating, delicious little wine. September 2022

2018 Bernardus Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley, Monterey County 12.6% ABV, $50 (#886)

Winery Notes: “In the glass you will see a wine of deep crimson red. The aromas show beautiful dark red fruit scents with subtle spice notes. The palate is very rich, expressing intense black cherry and plum flavors, supported by ripe tannins on the finish. An excellent addition to our Bernardus line-up!”

My Review: Pretty rich ruby in color. A toasty nose with nice Cabernet Sauvignon flavors on the palate. October/November 2022

1993 Bernardus Marinus Red Table Wine, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, $30 (#887)

Winery Notes: This was the first year they produced Marinus. The grapes were planted in 1989. It was made by winemaker Don Blackburn. From K&L Wine Merchants: “According to Wine Spectator: “A new Bordeaux-style blend that’s firm and intense, if a bit on the tannic side. Currant, cherry and anise flavors are well focused and well proportioned, and finish with dry tannins. Try after 1997.” (08/1996)

My Review: Inky in the glass. Dark and tannic with a touch of ham on the nose. Drinking well – like an old Bordeaux. Balanced. November 2022

2000 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine, Carmel Valley, Monterey County (#888)

Winery Notes from www.wine.com: “Increasing vine maturity coupled with almost perfect growing conditions enabled us to make a wine of great concentration that still has subtlety and elegance. Even in years of great ripeness our winemaking style emphasizes the textural element of the wine, making it approachable now, with the balance of flavors to age gracefully.”

Raviole de Boeuf

My Review: More purple in color. Leathery. A little alcohol up front with dark fruits on the palate. So smooth. Super well balanced. November 2022

2010 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine, Carmel Valley, Monterey County (#39) Cabernet Sauvignon 59%, Merlot 29%, Petit Verdot 7%, Cabernet Franc 5%           

Winery Notes: “Our 2010 Marinus exhibits its typical deeply colored robe.  The aromas express beautiful red fruits accented by classic notes of cedar.  The delicious flavors are soft and full, with spicy dark cherry and plus flavors and a smooth texture of well integrated tannins.  Although drinking beautifully now, this Marinus will age gracefully for many years to come.”

Roasted Duck Breast

My Review: Cassis/prune on the nose. Very smooth on the palate. Pairs well with the duck breast. Very delicious. Chalky. Drinking well! November 2022 Marinus is aged in oak for 16 months.

2015 Bernardus Marinus Signature Red Wine, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, $125 (#889)

Winery Notes: “This 2015 vintage of our highly regarded Signature Marinus exhibits a beautiful, deep robe. The aromas are redolent with dark red fruits and dried spices. On the palate we find bright ripe-red fruit flavors and notes of cedar on a long, rich finish, promising a long life to come! A wonderful example from our estate vineyard!”

My Review: Label says 14.1% ABV, but probably 14.8%. Rich, dark berry nose with licorice and cocoa notes. Delicious full palate. I gave this wine two hearts! November 2022

2017 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, 13.9% ABV, $75 (pre-release) (#890)

Winery Notes: This vintage has more Merlot in the blend – more like a Right Bank Bordeaux. This was a cooler winter.

Assiette de Fromage

Wine Enthusiast – 93 points: “This is a classic taste of the Carmel Valley, starting with aromas of blackberry jam, stewed berry and oak spice on the nose. The palate combines a rich blackberry-sauce core along with peppery spices and a luxurious streak of vanilla.” Matt Kettmann, 12/2022

My Review: This vintage has more Merlot, more like a Right Bank Bordeaux. Black licorice, blackberry and toasted oak on the nose – a marshamallowy vanilla. Very jammy yummy on the palate. Be ready for this one to be released – it is terrific. November 2022

2017 Bernardus Marinus Signature Red Wine, Carmel Valley, Monterey County 14.1% ABV, $125 (pre-release) (#891)

Winery Notes: N/A

Chocolate Decadence

My Review: Inky purple in the glass. Cocoa on the nose. Dark berry and cocoa on the palate. Really jammy. So delicious. This is going to be a great wine. November 2022

Tasting Bernardus Wines: Their tasting room, located at 5 West Carmel Valley Road, is open Tuesday-Saturday.  every day! Reservations are not required. You can see more information and book a tasting here or email tastingroom@bernardus.com or call them at 831-298-8021

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Bernardus: Tasty Wines Selected to Represent Monterey County’s Best!

We decided on rather short notice to pop out to the valley in March to hunt for wines for 2 upcoming wine classes.  And at the very last minute, we invited the rest of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod to join us.  We were in a bit of a time crunch, as this was dog grooming day.  We tasted a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a few Pinot Noirs – and got way behind schedule.  I selected both the Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay as options for my class, with the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc being chosen by Bernardus as the one for the class – previously presented here: https://decantingmonterey.com/decanting-monterey-heads-east-to-spread-the-word/. 

Today’s relatively short post is about the other 3 wines we tasted that day.  We also go to see the cute new “B” label for the Bernardus wines – part of it rebranding as a more approachable wine for all generations. 

This is the attractive new “B” label for the Sauvignon Blanc.
Back label of the Sauvignon Blanc used in my class.

In addition, I wanted to mention that we also recently served the 2010 and 2011 vintages of Bernardus Marinus.  The 2010 is still drinking extremely well and the 2011 was probably the best wine we had over a friends’ reunion weekend. These tastings validate why I continue to be a Marinus member at Bernardus!

The 2010 is still drinking well!
The 2011 is a great example of why we love the Marinus blend!

Winery tasting notes come from their website or the tasting sheet, unless otherwise indicated.

2020 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $30 (808)

Winery Notes: “The Bernardus 2020 Monterey Chardonnay exhibits bright white fruit aromas accented by subtle oak notes. The palate is intense and beautifully focused with vibrant peach and tropical fruit flavors along with spice accents. The long finish is supported by a refreshing acidity. Another superb example of Chardonnay from Monterey County!” Over 14,000 case-equivalents were produced! You can read more here.

My Review: Golden in the glass.  Delicious with a buttery nose and grilled pineapple on the palate. Butter and caramel on the finish.  Two of us really liked this wine.  I find it highly representative of a Monterey County Chardonnay and would like to use it in a future class. March 2022

2018 Bernardus Sierra Mar Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, $70 (809)

Winery Notes (2019 vintage): “Our 2019 Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir exhibits aromas of ripe red berries accented with hints of spice. The palate is silky and elegant with flavors of red cherries and berries.” 343 case-equivalents were produced. You can read more about the 2019 vintage here.

My Review: Darker red in color. A richer nose with notes of salami and salt (sea spray). Raspberry with a little smoke on the finish.  Although we aren’t huge Pinot Noir fans, we all liked this wine! March 2022

2019 Bernardus Ingrid Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley, Monterey, 14% ABV, $64 (810)

Winery Notes: “Our 2019 Ingrid’s Vineyard Pinot Noir exudes spicy, dark red fruit aromas. The wine is very intense and perfectly focused. Flavors are redolent with essences of black cherry, red berries and subtle toasty oak notes. This vintage of Ingrid’s Pinot Noir is beautifully structured allowing for several years of ageing or it can be enjoyed in its youth for its bright fruit flavors.” 313 case-equivalents were produced.  You can read more here.

My Review: Berry on the nose. A lighter palate of red currant, a touch of cranberry, with pepper on the finish. We think we should have tried these two Pinot Noirs in the opposite order. March 2022

Tasting Bernardus Wines: Good news! Their tasting room, located at 5 West Carmel Valley Road, is now open every day! Finally! Hurray! From their website: “…Reservations recommended. Tasting reservations are available at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00pm for up to 12. Walk ins accepted based on availability.  We offer a flight of 4 two ounce pours of our single vineyard and reserve wines for $20 per flight.  Wine Club tastings are complimentary. We also have cheese and charcuterie for $29 and bottled sparkling italian water for $6.  Please pre-order for groups larger than 6.” You can see more information and book a tasting here or email tastingroom@bernardus.com or call them at 831-298-8021

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Decanting Monterey Heads East to Spread the Word!

Last week, I went back to DC to visit with family and friends – and to present Monterey County wines to one of the long-established wine groups there.  As a member of this self-run, informal group, I’ve been able to present Monterey wines to them over the years. I’ll be back in the fall presenting 8-10 of our fine wines to one of the Northern Virginia AWS chapters.  

The format for these classes is straightforward: 5 wines, plus bread and cheeses – all within a budget at varying levels.  The challenge is to find exceptional wines at affordable prices that demonstrate the diversity of the region and the prowess of our winemakers. The group seemed very pleased with the Monterey wines I shared with them – I am invited back!

This is the group that got me interested in wine education and certification, eventually leading to this blog. This is all done on a volunteer basis, but has given me a way to deepen my relationships with our local wineries.  In return, I often get to enjoy industry discounts and, on rare occasions, the wineries donate wines for me to sample/review or, even better, wines to present in my classes! These classes are operated on very small budgets – every little bit helps!

For this event, the wineries rolled out the red carpet.  Bernardus donated both cases of their wine to the cause (one was donated in 2020 for a class canceled due to the pandemic), Chesebro gave me a great discount and free shipping, and Bunter Spring gave me their distributor’s rate.  I cannot thank them enough.  

I usually start out explaining where Monterey County is on the Central Coast (not everyone knows – can you believe it?!?); our winemaking history; our unique, cool climate due to its proximity to the deep, frigid waters of the Monterey Bay; plus the diversity in terrain and soils – from the “engine room” of the Salinas River and valley to the rugged mountains of Cachagua and “Greenfield potatoes” of Arroyo Seco. 

And we have frank conversations about the devastating impact of the wildfires on the vineyards, the wineries – the livelihoods and homes of our vintners – it is not just a crop statistic (wine grapes were ranked #5 in 2017 and #12 crop in 2020 – a 44% drop in crop value, according to the Monterey County crop report). It is rewarding to share that we are the largest grower of Chardonnay grapes in the US and Pinot Noir in California – most people do not know these fun facts!

Finally, I like to encourage them to come for a visit! With 65 tasting rooms in the county today, there are lots of options, whether you want to do the River Road Wine Trail, stroll in Carmel-By-The-Sea, drive out to Carmel Valley Village – or even taste in downtown Monterey and Cannery Row!  And our tastings are very affordable, averaging $20-25 vs. what one might pay farther north.  

Of course, the very best part of doing these classes is catching up with my wine friends, seeing my daughter and her friends enjoying these wines, and visiting our old neighborhood. Miss them all.

Here is the lineup of wines I presented last week – most have been reviewed here before. Winery notes coe from their tasting sheets, websites, or conversations with tasting room staff and winemakers:

2021 Chesebro Albariño, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $24 (#734)

Winery Notes: The climate here is quite Mediterranean, like Galicia. All stainless steel – they chill the musk down – longer fermentation, stabilized and bottled cold. Their take on a traditional Spanish white variety.  Lots of stone fruit and citrus with a touch of minerality on the nose. Apricot blossom and kumquat. Balanced, with bright acidity.

My Review: I had only tasted this wine once before when it was first released.  Boy, what a stellar wine to start the evening.  It was knock-your-socks-off flavorful!  It demonstrated how enjoyable a well-made Albariño can be, balanced by the minerality in the soil. Straw in color. Lovely tropical and citrus aromas on the nose. Stone fruit balanced by bright acidity. Tasted in March/June 2022

2020 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 12.6% ABV, $28 (#566) 95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon

Winery Notes:   Grapes come from a block specially planted for Bernardus in the Griva Vineyard with the celebrated “Musqué” clone. Hand-picked various ripeness in order to have a broad palette of flavors and acidity for the final blend. Fermentation: cool temperature in stainless steel tanks. Aged for several months in large, neutral 30-year-old French oak tanks. Tasting notes:  Aromas of lime zest accented by grassy notes. The palate is soft and long, exhibiting crisp fruit flavors with notes of lime and grapefruit. A beautiful balance of rich texture and a gently crisp, refreshing acidity. 10,550 + cases produced.

My Review: Tropical nose with pineapple and lime notes and a hint of smoke.  Sophisticated palate reflects the winemaking approach described above.  Tropical and lime zest flavors.  Clean and refreshing. And look at the new labels, reflecting a refreshed brand for Bernardus!

2018 Bunter Spring “Garagitage,” Highlands Vineyard, Monterey AVA , 14.64% ABV, $24 (#526)  76% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon

Winery Notes: Upon release: “These grapes come from a small vineyard in the hills above Arroyo Seco just north of Carmel Valley Road. They were harvested, very ripe, on Sep 30, 2018. Upon release, in spring 2021, as I write, this wine is a rough and tumble California fruit bomb, with tons of grapey flavor, plenty of alcohol, and no manners.  Maybe, someday, it will grow up.  Meantime, have fun!” Spring 2022: “Ripe black fruit, tannic, full bodied. Aged 15 months in once used French oak barrels.” 76 cases produced. 

My Review:  This wine continues to be one of our favorites from Bunter Spring. Dark ruby in the glass. Perfume on the nose, followed by a yummy palate of red and black fruits. Very smooth and drinkable. A terrific bargain. This was a perfect choice as a transition into our bigger reds. 

2014 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage, CM Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, $35 (#619)

Winery Notes: “Grown on our estate in the Upper Carmel Valley’s rocky mountain soils at 1500’ elevation, this Rhone style blend of 80% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre is powerful and rich with aromas of cassis, dark forest berries, scorched earth and spice.  Blockbuster with a long lingering finish.” 80 cases produced

My Review: Rich ruby in the glass. Pleasant nose of fresh berries. Palate of berry jam, eucalyptus and chocolate with red currant and anise flavors on the finish. Super delicious.

2014 Bernardus Marinus Estate Blend, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.3% ABV, $75 (#290)52% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec 

Winery Notes: Use traditional Bordeaux vinification methods.  Each block of Marinus is farmed separately and picked at its perfect ripeness.  hand sorted and de-stemmed before being fermented in small individual fermenters.  Each one is punched down or pumped over twice daily throughout the lengthy fermentation period.  After a gentle pressing, the wines are transferred to small French oak barrels for malo-lactic fermentation and ageing for 18 months, when the final blend is created. 1375 case-equivalents produced. 

Winery Tasting Notes: Aromas exude beautifully ripened red fruits accented by subtle spice notes. Mouthfeel is very soft and full expressing delicious flavors of ripe cherry and plum. The finish is well structured with soft tannins. 

Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “Candied lilac and boysenberry-juice aromas make for a very fresh, floral and fruity entry to the nose of this blend of all five Bordeaux red varieties. The purple-flower flavors show on the sip too, mixed with acai, and the structure is still tightly woven six years into aging. 92 points, Editors’ Choice.” Matt Kettmann

My Review: This wine was a huge hit with the wine class and a great way to end the class:  Complex and rich. Beautiful dense, dark ruby in the glass. Intense fruit on the nose. Smooth palate full of dark berry fruits, a bit chalky yet fresh. Drinking so well with lots of future for cellaring. I could just keep drinking this wine.

Monterey County Vintners and Growers Know How to Celebrate Monterey Winemakers!

I tell you, the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod is on it!  While we were completing a wine tour of Portugal and Spain, the home team was on alert for Central Coast wine activities.  We got a text the day we were flying home about the 29th Annual Monterey Winemaker’s Celebration. Were we planning to attend? The answer was yes! We last attended this event in 2018 and thought it was good but crowded. My assessment of this year’s event is that it was terrific!

This event, sponsored by the Monterey Vintners and Growers Association, was advertised as an opportunity to “Enjoy the incredible wines and culinary abundance from one of the world’s premier wine regions in the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea.” It was incredibly well organized (way to go, Kim Stemler!).  Located in Devendorf Park instead of the streets of Carmel-By-The-Sea, this event seemed a bit more private, out of the hustle and bustle of the village.  The entry was very efficient.  Daunted by a huge entry line, we were instantly relieved to see tickets were being checked and wristbands allocated before the gates even opened.  With the food moved to the exterior streets, attendees could move easily among the winery booths and step out for food.

The wineries were mostly familiar to me, with a few exceptions.  Most I have been to and are captured somewhere in Decanting Monterey.  That was a good thing, as we could pick and choose which one or two wines we wanted to taste at each. And some of the winemakers were there – either in force or for part of the event, including Sabrine Rodems, Keith and Tim Prader of Shale Canyon, Ian Brand, Kori Violini and the Rexford family. It meant so much to the attendees to be able to connect with these winemakers directly. And I was so happy to see Rexford there – I have missed their tasting room in the village and hope to get up to their winery soon.

We also enjoyed talking to The Wine Experience and mixing our own red blends (mine was rather vegetal – too much Cabernet Franc!).  We will definitely need to pay a visit and do this the proper way next time – taste each wine, then blend, silly Sharon. 

Our only regret is that we did not purchase the VIP ticket for this event, as we are reserve wine kind of people. That said, we tasted both familiar and new-to-us wines.  I’ll highlight a few memorable ones here.  I made the decision up front not to try to capture tasting notes, but to be in the moment, enjoying the event. And I can’t wait for next year’s event!

2015 Pessagno Tre Red Wine Blend, Pedregal de Paicines Vineyard,  Paicines AVA, 14.12%, $42 (675*) 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, 20% Petite Sirah

About Pessagno: “Pessagno Winery fulfills a twenty-year dream to produce limited quantities of exclusive luxury wines from prestigious single vineyards throughout Monterey and San Benito Counties. The winery is known for creating wines of distinct character and elegance. It is widely recognized as one of California’s finest wine sources.”

Winery Notes: “The 2015 Tre offers bold aromas of dark fruits, spice, oak, and tobacco. The palate is treated to a rich feel, deep dark fruit flavors, oak and tobacco, with a velvety caramel finish.”

My Notes: I was really surprised by this beautiful blend. It was perhaps the wine most aligned to my palate that we tasted that day – big, smooth, bold.  It was among the first and last wines we visited during the tasting. I will need to visit Pessagno for a complete tasting soon. Check out their website for upcoming events at the winery – and at the vineyard in Paicines, an AVA in San Benito County of which I am very fond!

2017 Chalone Vineyard Estate Grown Syrah, Chalone AVA, $54 (676*)

About Chalone Vineyard: “Monterey’s first winery, Chalone Vineyard is nestled amongst the Pinnacle mountains in Monterey.  High atop the Gavilan plateau, the ocean breezes sweep across the remarkable terroir of the Chalone vineyard with its volcanic limestone soils that give our wines their distinctive flavor.”

Winery Notes: “Bold and complex – just as you’d want a Syrah to be. Leather, cinnamon, tobacco leaf and dark fruits offer layers of intrigue for the senses.”

My Notes: I do love my Central Coast Syrahs and this was no exception! Smooth with the dark berry and earthiness you’d expect from a Syrah.  About time we get over to Chalone to do a wine tasting, as well!

2021 Bernardus Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rose, $30 (677*) Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, & Cinsault

Winery Notes: “Bernardus has been producing a small bottling of Rosé from our local vineyards for many years.  Now we are thrilled to announce the release of our first Rosé from the Provence region of France! To that end, we have partnered with a prestigious French winery: La Coste.  Bernardus is very proud to present a wine based on multi-national tasting trials:  Bernardus French Rosé!

“Flavors are full and rich, redolent with light red fruits on a long smooth finish.  An exceptional Rosé we know everyone will enjoy!”

My Notes: We wished the Provence Rosé member of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod had been with us to taste this delicious new French rose from Bernardus. I think it will be a hit!  Pretty pale pink in the glass.  Perfume on the nose.  Light on the palate with a touch of sweetness on the finish.

2018 Pierce Ranch Olonde, San Antonio Valley, $32 (678*)  39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 59% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec

Winery Notes: Bordeaux style blend composed of Cab. Sauv., Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

My Notes: We were all impressed by this wine, one that we did not get to taste during our March visit to their tasting room.  They informed me they have some other new releases coming out in the next few weeks, so another visit soon??

2018 Silvestri Estate Barbera, Carmel Valley, $65 (679*)           

Winery Notes: “Now on sale! $60 a bottle (normally $65) for a limited time only. Barbera is a red grape varietal originating from the Piedmont region of Northwestern Italy. Our small block of Barbera, which is the first planting of this varietal in Carmel Valley, was added to the vineyard to honor the Silvestri family heritage. It’s position on a warm southern facing slope allows this varietal to mature and ripen to its fullest potential before harvest.  With the influence of French oak barrel fermentation and maturation our Barbera exudes a deep richness and complexity that helps balance the grape’s high acidity.

“Black cherry, dried strawberry and plum aromas blend through to like flavors and move on to full, soft tannins with sufficient acidity. A more refined yet full-flavored Barbera” 462 cases.

My Notes: This was a terrific Barbera with delicious berry, raspberry flavors.

2018 Silvestri Estate Syrah, Carmel Valley, $48 (680*)   

Winery Notes: “Moving to a warmer section of the vineyard is our Syrah. After harvest our Syrah is de-stemmed and placed into ¾ open top fermenters.  Here, whole berry fermentation takes place to maximize the extraction of flavor and color. The juice is then racked to French oak barrels.  Malolactic fermentation is initiated and will take place for about a month. We then rack the wine after 6 months, and age for another 12-18 months before bottling.

“Syrah fans everywhere.  Our Syrah continues to please year after year.  Savor the aromas of blackberry and dried plum while enjoying the mouth-watering flavors, velvety texture along with medium tannins. Complement with sausage pizza, grilled veggies or grilled meat.” 123 cases

My Notes: This is my kind of Syrah – big, smooth, juicy with delicious dark berry and plum flavors, without the earthiness that, for me, can be a distraction. 

2019 Robert Mondavi Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, California, 14.5% ABV, $15 (681*)

Winery Notes: “We craft this richly textured Cabernet Sauvignon with California grapes picked at the peak of ripeness in our coastal vineyards. Adding a twist to traditional barrel-aging, select lots of the blend are aged in a mix of new and used bourbon barrels. The new barrels give the wine its deep undertones of toasted oak. The used barrels—selected from a renowned Kentucky distillery—exude notes of vanilla and dried herbs, hinting at the fine bourbon that once graced these casks. The result is a bold, flavorful wine, unlike any other Cabernet.

“Layered and complex, our Bourbon Barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon leaps from the glass with aromas of blackberry cobbler, graham cracker, brown sugar, milk chocolate, coffee and smoke. A palate of blueberry pie, praline, sweet vanilla custard, caramel and mocha is framed by soft, chewy tannins and a hint of toasted oak on the lingering finish.”

My Notes: This was kind of fun – they brought both the Bourbon Barrel-aged and Rye Barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignons for a compare and contrast.  I say Bourbon Barrel hands down! As an affordable, everyday Cabernet Sauvignon, this is kind of a fun one.

2020 Scratch  Brut Rose, San Saba Vineyard, Monterey AVA, $49 (682*)        

Winery Notes: “The touch of 828 Clone Pinot Noir to the Clone 96 Chardonnay base synergistically add a juiciness to the mid-palate that makes you want to take another sip!  Clone 96 Chardonnay has a round honey-dew melon mouth feel and with the addition of pinot makes you think you are biting into a fresh Fuji apple.  This sparkling wine is make using the classic Methode Champenoise, fermented in the bottle.”

My Notes: Wow!  Winemaker Sabrine Rodems was here!  It was so great to meet her in person.  We have enjoyed her wines from Wrath, Scratch, and Kori Wines!  And I love a great sparkling rose!  Another place to wine taste soon, as all I have tried are her sparkling wines.  

2019 Shale Canyon ZSM, Arroyo Seco AVA, $55   (683*) 48% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre

Winery Notes: “The 2019 ZSM is a blend of Estate Zinfandel – 48%, Arroyo Seco Syrah – 32% and Estate Mourvèdre – 20%.  On the nose you will get bright berry fruit with a touch of violet on the bouquet.  The middle is full of dark fruit, predominately blueberry, followed by raspberry and huckleberry.  On the finish you will get a touch of smokiness from the newer oak barrels, firm tannins and a touch of vanilla.  This full bodied wine is still young only having been bottled in the first week of July 2021, but it is drinking exceptionally well already.”

My Notes: This is a brand-new release which will soon be on their website and available in their tasting room!  It was our pleasure to taste this big red – another wine right up my alley.

2019 Folktale Le Mistral Joseph’s Blend, Monterey County, $50 (#684)                                   

About Folktale Winery:  “In 2015, a band of artists, craftspeople, and lovers of life brought their wandering imaginations and lofty aspirations to a magical piece of land in Carmel, California. Out in the sunny valley, we cultivated grapevines and gardens to craft beautiful wines and experiences to delight the senses. We named this place Folktale Winery & Vineyards.

“Folktale was inspired by the idea that in every great bottle of wine, there is a story. It is filled with uniqueness of place, a year of sun and rain, and the art and craft of winemaking. The story is about our people, our guests, and our passion. This is a love story, and the best love stories never end.”

Winery Notes: “Grapes for this vintage of Joseph’s Blend were hand-harvested from 5 different vineyards in our region.  Each lot fermented in small batches and was gently pressed and racked to French oak barrels to age.  After 6 months, all lots were tasted and a final blend was created.  The wine spent another year in barrel before being bottled in Aug, 2021.  In this year’s blend, Grenache came from Ventana and Mission Ranch Vineyards (Arroyo Seco AVA), Syrah from Cedar Lane Vineyard (Arroyo Seco AVA) and Tondre Grapefield (Santa Lucia Highlands AVA), and Mourvedre from Sandy Lane Vineyard (Contra Costa County).”

My Notes: OK, it was a little strange that Folktale was the only winery out in the food area.  I wished I had found them earlier and had had the capacity to give their wines a thorough tasting.  I am looking forward to seeing where their wines are going. This GSM was a fine wine, worthy of a retaste.  I admit I have shied away from Folktale as it is more of a food with wine pairings place, but maybe that isn’t a bad thing to try.  The Le Mistral tasting looks great to me.

*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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